SinkInSync

People tend to synchronize heart rates, breathing and neural rhythms during intimate physical and emotional exchange, which in turn enhances their mutual feelings of social connectedness. In a world of rising remote interactions, we experience a lack of in-person interactions that precondition socially-induced synchronization. Inspired by this phenomenon, we created SinkInSync, a VR-based cross-person EEG neurofeedback experience towards augmenting emotional social connectedness via externally-induced brainwave synchronization between pairs of individuals.

The experience is set in a fictional landscape that dynamically reacts to real-time brainwave data, resulting in a visualization of the partner user’s internal mind state. The semi-defamiliarizing landscape is nestled amidst a sweeping expanse of billowy clouds, a mesmerizing starry sky, and reflective stones that subtly alters the surrounding scenery as the viewer strolls through the landscape.

A glowing orb embodies the center of energy, emitting fleeting threads of thought visible as illuminated trails. Overhead, large lanterns pulsate in synchrony with the dominant brainwave frequency, providing rhythmic visual cues to influence the viewer’s brainwave frequency. The hue of these 3D elements changes in response to the dominant brainwave band. The ambience fog appears in a mix of colors as the partner user transitions from one mental state to another, creating a liminal space where the viewer can observe the past and present mental states converging in a hypnotic dance of colors and shapes, carrying the interconnectedness of our thoughts and experiences. Colorful dust-like particles float in the air, creating an ambience of dispersed and nuanced thoughts that exist consistently beyond our dominant mental state.

The viewer’s own dominant brainwave is faintly represented in the color of the fog flowing in the far backdrop, allowing them to be subtly aware of the divergence and convergence between themselves and their partner user. If both users’ dominant brainwaves synchronize, a shooting star appears across the sky. If their brainwaves synchronize for more than 8 seconds, small bursts of flowers will be triggered from underneath their feet, celebrating their connection. The experience is brought to life using Muse Headbands, VR headsets and projectors.